IMDb RATING
6.8/10
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An English schoolteacher meets his lookalike, a French count; and unwillingly swaps identities with him.An English schoolteacher meets his lookalike, a French count; and unwillingly swaps identities with him.An English schoolteacher meets his lookalike, a French count; and unwillingly swaps identities with him.
Ernie Priest
- Man
- (uncredited)
Jack Sharp
- Cafe Bar Patron
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis was a very troubled production. Writer and Director Robert Hamer was struggling with the alcoholism which would eventually kill him only a few years later, and had so much difficulty with Bette Davis that he had several lapses during filming, with only the support and kindness of his friend Sir Alec Guinness (who had insisted on him as director) getting him through the ordeal. Davis, whose career was in a major slump, was angry at being restricted to a cameo and was unpleasant to everyone on-set. Guinness later commented that her legendary professionalism was "largely a myth". Daphne Du Maurier, the author of the original novel, had also created difficulties by interfering with the filming and offering complaints at perceived deviations from her original story. MGM had no faith in the movie and extensively re-edited it after shooting was completed, also imposing a score which Hamer did not want composed by studio veteran Bronislau Kaper.
- GoofsThe 1950 Delahaye 135 MS Cabriolet belonging to Jean is made in France and has Paris plates but the steering wheel is on the right, indicating an export model for England or other countries that drive on the left.
- Quotes
[last lines]
Bela: What are you doing here?
John Barratt: Fate has made a beautiful mistake and we are together when we might have been apart.
- Crazy creditsOpening credits are shown over various images of the book by Daphne Du Maurier.
- ConnectionsRemade as The Scapegoat (2012)
Featured review
Interesting British Drama From MGM
"The Scapegoat" starts out with a clever premise and the promise of intrigue, but soon settles down as a character study marked by good, solid acting. Alec Guinness is the star with a dual role, first as a drab professor with an empty life, and then as the scion of a wealthy family who parties, womanizes and neglects his family. They meet and decide to switch places. The professor now has a life, but the rich guy vanishes.
Now follows an absorbing story, based on a novel by Daphne DuMaurier, as the professor enjoys his new surroundings and tries to inject some heart and purpose into his new life, which arouses some suspicions. This may have been a novella fleshed out to a feature-length movie, and I say this because the picture does go on, and the pace is somewhat sluggish - that is, until the surprise ending.
Guinness, Irene Worth and Nicole Maurey put this British/MGM film over with superb acting, with an enlarged cameo by Bette Davis. "The Scapegoat" is something of a departure for Alec Guinness as he gets to show off his considerable acting chops, and there are no comic interludes to be found. The viewer is kept in the dark regarding a solution until the very end, and the end is worth the preceding 90 minutes.
Now follows an absorbing story, based on a novel by Daphne DuMaurier, as the professor enjoys his new surroundings and tries to inject some heart and purpose into his new life, which arouses some suspicions. This may have been a novella fleshed out to a feature-length movie, and I say this because the picture does go on, and the pace is somewhat sluggish - that is, until the surprise ending.
Guinness, Irene Worth and Nicole Maurey put this British/MGM film over with superb acting, with an enlarged cameo by Bette Davis. "The Scapegoat" is something of a departure for Alec Guinness as he gets to show off his considerable acting chops, and there are no comic interludes to be found. The viewer is kept in the dark regarding a solution until the very end, and the end is worth the preceding 90 minutes.
helpful•71
- GManfred
- Jul 2, 2013
- How long is The Scapegoat?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $943,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 31 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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